Curious Place to Meet
by rapunzells
Summary: Set in cursed Storybrooke after the Pilot. Based on the AU prompt: I come here when I want to be alone and I didn't think anyone knew about it, so where the hell did you come from?


For as long as Mr. Gold could remember, every Saturday night he limped in the woods on the edge of town until he got to the wishing well. He had no idea when he started this ritual, and he had no idea why he was doing it. He didn't even change into hiking boots to make the trek, he just went into the woods each Saturday like clockwork.

After spending the day collecting rent, he drove to the edge of town, where he would get out of his black Cadillac and walk through the moonlit woods to the well. It was just the type of creepy activity the citizens of Storybrooke would suspect him of doing. But he never had any other plans on Saturday night, nor would he want to take part in Storybrooke's rather sad night life. So it became a Saturday night tradition for him.

The solidarity of it all soothed him. The town always felt stifling with the mayor who felt the need to get too involved in everything. But out in the quiet of the forest, he could think.

And he has a lot of thinking to do tonight.

He never once stopped to think why he was going out into the woods, but now that he's met Emma, he knows. He's been coming out here once a week for twenty-eight years. For twenty-eight years Mr. Gold was cursed to distance himself from society more than he already was each Saturday night. For twenty-eight years Mr. Gold had no idea he had a son. For twenty-eight years he forgot what happened to Belle.

With his new memories intact, Rumplestiltskin tries to piece together what exactly did happen to Belle. Despite what Regina told him all those years ago in his castle, Belle is very much alive here in Storybrooke. Working the morning shift at Granny's, she lives with her father in the crummiest apartment complex in town. Of course, here she goes by Lacey, and she has a reputation almost as bad as Mr. Gold's. Rumplestiltskin's heart ached to think of Belle stuck in this life because he foolishly shut her out all those years ago. He didn't deserve her love then, and he certainly doesn't deserve her love now.

He cursed himself for believing Regina's lie to him in the Dark Castle. If he let himself believe that he still had a chance at love, that Belle was still alive, he would've torn apart the Enchanted Forest to find her. He failed her. Somehow Regina got a hold of her, and he could only imagine what Regina did to his True Love. Belle would never forgive him.

Now that the Savior is here, he is at least one step closer to finding Baelfire. Rumplestiltskin couldn't fail his son, too. He leans his cane against the well, leaning over to look into the murky waters that run below it. According to town legend, the waters can bring back something once lost. He can use it to bring magic to this land.

Upon hearing a small gasp he looks up so fast he almost loses his balance. Grabbing his cane, he steadies himself.

He slowly lifts his head, looking at the source of the sound through his thick hair. "Bel-" he cuts himself off; the woman standing across the well from him with a thin jacket and hair crunchy from hairspray was not his Belle. "Miss French," he keeps his voice as level as he can, but he can't control it when it wavers a little because his True Love who he mourned for thirty years was standing right here in front of him. "What are you doing here?"

She stuffs her phone into the pocket of her fake leather jacket, pushing the wires of her headphones all the way in after it before zipping it up. The sleeves of the jacket are long on her, and she burrows her hands into them. Realizing her hands are probably cold, Rumplestiltskin yearns to reach over and warm them with his own gloved hands. He grips his cane tighter.

Walking around the well to stand next to him, she shrugs. "I'm avoiding someone."

Her close proximity to him isn't new- she always tended to stand closer than necessary to him back in the Dark Castle, but the small distance between them is just as terrifying now as it was then. She slides down to sit on the ground with her back to the well.

Without thinking of his ankle, he lowers himself to join her. "Who?" He asks her, ready to take his cane to the head of whoever's bothering her, even if she isn't truly Belle.

"What is this, twenty questions?" She scoffs. Sighing, she changes the subject. "I'm more interested in what you're doing out here, Mr. Gold."

He shrugs. "Burying a dead body." Lacey chuckles, leaning her head against the well to look up at the stars. His hand flies to his heart in mock-offense. "What, you don't believe me?"

"I only know you through your reputation, but you hardly seem a psychopath to me."

She turns toward him, her blue eyes capturing his brown. "Well that's very sweet of you." He manages to get out.

The two of them sit in silence for some time, but his thoughts race through his head and his heart beats so fast he is scared she can hear it. Now that the Savior has arrived, he only has a matter of months until the curse is broken. He couldn't see the harm in getting close to Lacey during those months before Belle remembers and never wants to see him again. The only trouble is he can't see how to become close to Lacey. Belle had been an open book, but Lacey hardly seems like the type to be open to a friendship with the hated landlord.

"Who are you avoiding?" He finally breaks the silence.

For a while, it seemed as if maybe she didn't hear him. She keeps her eyes trained on a point deep within the dark of the forest. "Keith." From living in a small town, he involuntarily knows everybody's business. Keith and Lacey were cursed to be the least faithful relationship in all of Storybrooke. Remembering Keith's history as the Sheriff of Nottingham, Rumplestiltskin grits his teeth. Regina really couldn't give Belle a break. "He wanted to go out tonight, but Ruby told me he was trying to get in her pants last night. It's...kind of a normal thing for us. But on my way to the Rabbit Hole I almost collided with this yellow Beetle, and I realized I'd be damned if I died on my way to fucking meet Keith. It was too early to go home, and Keith was already at the only other place I could think to go to, so I just came here."

Rumplestiltskin sighs, wishing he could just take Lacey home right now.

Lacey turns her head to face him all the way. For a second he thinks her eyes are on his lips, but then she is standing up before he can blink. She holds out her hand, helping him up, and he takes it. "It was...nice talking to you. You're a cool guy, Mr. Gold." She lets go of his hands, shoving both of hers into her pockets, already making to leave.

Rumplestiltskin leans on his cane. "I've been coming to this well for a long time, and not once have I seen another person here at this hour. It was strange to see you here. In a good way."

She smiles a small half smile before turning around and walking towards town. He lets her go, knowing this is probably the only chance he'll have to talk to Lacey. He's too much of a coward to even see if she'd be interested. As he watches her retreat into the darkness, he realizes he should've offered to walk her to her car. It was too late for that now. It was too late to be with Belle at all. He never deserved her. As soon as the Savior brings back their happy endings, he won't be surprised if Belle's happy ending includes being far away from him.


End file.
